Achievers University Appoints Deputy VC, Dean  

The Governing Council of Achievers University has appointed Professor Samuel Oyewumi Oyewole, former Dean, College of Natural and Applied Sciences, as the first Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University. Professor Stephen Abiodun Shoyinka, Head of the Department of Biological Sciences of the university, replaces him as Dean.

According to Dr. (Mrs.) Tinuade Ojo, Acting Registrar, the appointments were in recognition of the satisfactory performance of their duties and “commitment and contributions to the development” of the institution.   

Professor Oyewole, a professor of Botany, University of Ilorin, Unilorin, Kwara State, was an alumnus of the University of Ibadan where he obtained his bachelor’s and doctoral degrees in 1967 and 1971 respectively. He had taught various disciplines of Botany at his alma mater, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State and Unilorin.

He has been involved in the development, structuring and teaching of courses in Cytology, Genetics, Plant Systematics, Cytogenetics, Plant Anatomy, Plant Ecology, Applied Genetics, Cytotaxonomy and Biosystematics, among others, at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Oyewole, who had also worked as a visiting professor of Botany at the Federal University of Technology, Yola, Adamawa State, Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya, and the University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri, Borno State, had been both an internal and external examiner for higher degrees.He has no fewer than 30 publications to his credit.      

A recipient of many awards, which include Western Nigeria Government Scholarship, University of Ibadan Postgraduate Scholarship in Botany and Award of Excellence in Institutional Management, Institute of Administrative Management of Nigeria, he is listed in the first edition of Newswatch magazine’s “Who’s Who in Nigeria”. He is also a Fellow of both the Institute of Administrative Management of Nigeria and Linnean Society, and member, Nigerian Institute of Management, Institute of Biology and New York Academy of Sciences, among many other international academic bodies.  

Professor Shoyinka, until he joined Achievers University last year, was a Research Professor/Virologist with Obafemi Awolowo University’s Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T), Ibadan.He is an alumnus of Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, and the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, United Kingdom where he obtained his bachelor’s and doctoral degrees in 1965 and 1970 respectively. Shoyinka has over 42 years’ experience in research, teaching, and research and development management at both national and international levels. 

He was also a Visiting Scientist, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, where he provided leadership and managed research conducted by various persons.  While at OAU, at different times, he served as Deputy Director, IAR&T, Principal Research Fellow, Plant Virologist and Head, Fibre Crops Improvement Programme, Senior Research Fellow and Research Fellow, among others. Soyinka was also .a part-time lecturer in Virology at the departments of Agricultural Biology, and Botany and Microbiology, University of Ibadan. The Dean is a member of several professional bodies such as International Virology Congress, International Working Group on Legume Viruses, American Phythopathological Society, International Society for Plant Protection and Association of Applied Biologists, United Kingdom. Professor Soyinka was Assistant Editor, Journal of Botany and Editorial Consultant/Reviewer to many reputable local and international journals. He has over 40 publications to his credit.

Shoyinka is a recipient of “Long Meritorious Service Award of OAU” and “Distinguished Member of Obafemi Awolowo University Senate Meritorious Service Award”.